Electric fire-engine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. W. DEWEY. ELECTRIC FIRE ENGINE.

No. 464,244. Patented Dec 1, 1891,

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WITNESSES:

INVENTOR:

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(No Model.\ 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. W. DEWEY.

ELECTRIC FIRE ENGINE. 7 No. 464,244. Patented Dec. 1. 189.1.

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MARK XV. DEWVEY, OF SYRACUSE, NE\V YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE DEYVEY CORPORATION, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC FIRE-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,244, dated December 1, 1891.

Applicatidn filed February 9, 1891. Serial No. 380.710. (No model.)

To ttZZ whom, it may concern: a rotary pump fixed upon the front part of Be it known that I, MARK XV. DEWEY, of the frame and having its driving-shaft ex- Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the tending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric State of New York, have invented new and motor supported upon the vehicle nearer the 5 useful Improvements in Electric Fire- Enrear axle, means to connect said motor either gines, (Case 84,) of which the following, with the wheels of the vehicle to propel the taken in connection with the accompanying same or with the pump, as desired; and myindrawings, is a full, clear, and exact descripvention consists, still further,in certain other tion. combinations of parts hereinafter described,

IO My invention relates to certain improveand specifically set forth in the claims.

ments in electrically-propelled vehicles and Referring briefly to the drawings, Figure electric fire-engines, and is similar in some 1 is a side elevation of my improved fire-enrespects to my invention set forth in my patgine with a part of its frame brokenaway to ent, No. 446,703, dated February 17, 1891. show the gearing clearly. Fig. 2 is a plan r5 The object of my invention is to electriview taken below the battery or the recepcally propel an electric fire-engine to and tacle containing the same and below the seat from a fire, so that it will not be necessary to and steering-wheel. Figs. 3 and t are modiemploy horses for this purpose and to Save fications of the rear part of the engine. Fig. the time heretofore lost in hitching them to 5 is a diagrammatic view of certain parts of 20 the engine, as the electrically-propelled enthe apparatus, circuits, and connections on gine is always ready to start at the instant the engine; and Fig. 6 is a view of the comthealarm is sounded, and does not consume pensating gear that may be employed. any energy while not in use. In the drawings, A represents the electric The object of my invention also is to apply motor suitably secured to and supported by 25 the necessary apparatus to accomplish my the frame B or rear axle of the engine, but invention to a fire-engine having a rotary preferably with its armature-shaft extending pump mounted thereon with its driving-shaft lengthwise of the vehicle and below the horiextending lengthwise of the vehicle or to an zontal plane of the axis of the rear axle O to alengine having a pump mounted and suplow abattery or its receptacle D to be placed 3o ported upon the front part of. the frame of above said axle and as near the same as practithe vehicle above the plane of the axis of the cable, so that the battery will be as low as posfront axle. sible. The battery is preferably placed low,

To this end my invention consists in the in order that its weight may not render the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two Vehicle top-heavy and to allow the battery to 3 5 axles and a frame, a pump fixed to the front be removed andreplaced more conveniently. part of the frame, a driving-shaft for said E is a rotarypuznp which is rigidly fixed to pump extending lengthwise of the vehicle, the front part of the frame of the engine and an electric motor supported upon the vehicle which may be of any suitable form of construchaving its armature-shaft lower than the tion.. The pump shown in the drawings is 0 4o driving-shaft of the pump and gearing besimilar to that employed in the Silsby firetween the said shafts. engine, which is well adapted to this purpose,

My invention consists, also, in the combinaand as such rotary pumps are common it will tion of a wheeled vehicle having a frame, a be sufficient to say that it consists vof two inpump fixed to the front part of the frame, an tersecting cylinders F and G, in which work 45 electric motor supported upon the vehicle two rotating interlocking pistons, the shafts having its armature-shaft disposed eccentriof which H and I are geared together within cally in relation to the axis of the pumpthe casings J and K. The water from the shaft, and suitable gearing between the two hydrant enters the pump at L and is forced shafts. by the rotation of the pistons,whicl1 are caused ICO 5 0 My invention consists, further, in the comto revolve by the motor A into the water-chest bination of a wheeled vehicle having a frame, E and through the opening at M, whereat the fire-hose may be attached. Uniformity of pressure is maintained, as usual, by the airchamber N and the quantity of water discharged is regulated by the valve 0 or in any other suitable manner.

P is the gearing or mechanical connection between the armature-shaft A of the motor and the main shaft E of the pump, andQ is the gearing or mechanical connection between the said motor and the axle O. In the said connection to and upon the axle I preferably place a well-known compensating gear 0 to facilitate in turning corners or to allow the relative movement of the wheels carried by the driving-axle, but do not limit myself to any particular form of mechanical connection either between the motor and axle or between the motor and pump. The said compensating gear is shown clearly in Fig. (3 of the draw ings. One wheel W (shown in dotted lines) may be sleeved upon to turn freely on the axle 0, while the other driving-wheel is keyed fast. The latter is not shown in the figure. A bevel-gearr is fixed to the hub of the wheel WV and a similar gear 0" is keyed to the driving-axle. Between these revolves a spur or worm gear 8, which is driven by the motor A and which carries two small bevel-pinions t t, the latter engaging both bevel-wheels r and 1", their axles being in the plane of the revolu tion of the large gear 8. It will be obvious that, resistances being equal on both wheels, if the spur-gear s be turned, it willcarry with it both driving-wheels at the same time with equal angular velocities, the effort exerted by the motor being equal at both wheels at all times. If the engine be turning a corner, however, the greater resistance on the inside wheel retards that, while the outer wheel necessarily moves more rapidly over its longer path, and, while the motor still exerts the same force on both wheels, the work done is distributed unequally between them through the then revolving bevel-pinions without loss and without either wheel being necessarily slipped or disengaged.

When the compensating gear is at or near the center of the axle, the said axle may be divided at u, as shown in Fig. 6, the bevelgears 1' and r, keyed to their respective parts of the axle, and the driving-wheelsalso keyed to the parts of the axle to rotate with it and with relation to each other.

When the motor-shaft is extended at right angles to the driving-axle, I preferably provide it with a worm or screw a, which may directly operate the compensating gear, or operate the same through an intermediate shaft 0', having a pinion to work in mesh'with thespur-gear of the compensating gear, and a worm-wheel a, to be rotated by the worm on'the motor-shaft, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and Should it be desired, however, the said worm may rotate a worm-wheel a, keyed directly to the driving-axle 0, without a compensating gear, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

If desired, and in order to make the vehicle shorter, the motor A may be placed beneath the rear axle O, and in some cases suspended from the same, as shown in Fig. 3.

R is a leverto operate the clutch mechanism 61 on the motor-shaft to disconnect the motor A from the axle, and R is a lever to operate the clutch mechanism d on the opposite end of the motor-shaft to connect the motor with the pump, or vice versa, when desired.

0' is the front axle of the engine.

U is the fifth-wheel having a circle rigidly or flexibly secured to said axle, and having a rack h thereon for a gear-wheel h to work in.

i is an upright shaft extending upward from the said gear-wheel to a large hand-wheel 1'', directly in front of the steersmans seat S.

The engine may be provided with the usual braking apparatus, and a gong in a convenient position to be operated by the steersman while steering the vehicle.

It is preferred to keep two sets of batteries charged at the engine-house, one being in the receptacle D on the engine and the other reserved for use when the former is discharged, the reserved battery to be sent for and brought to the engine at the fire by the supply-wagon when required.

The battery on the engine may be of any suitable size, is preferably divided in two equal parts, and one part placed above the other in the receptacle or cab D. If desired,

a shell may be placed in the cab, as indicated by the dotted line x in Fig. 1, to support the upper part of the said battery.

The connection of the circuit with respect to the motor A, the parts of the battery, 850., and the switching apparatus T,T', and T is shown in Fig. 5. The switch T consists of a series of fixed contact-points connected to difierent points in the series of cells. The extreme terminals 19 are connected to the 0pposite ends of the entire series of cells, re spectively, by wires land 2. The divided terminals are connected to the next two adj acent fixed terminals 11' by wires 3 and 4. The two central fixed terminals are connected to opposite ends of the motor-circuit 5 and 6. The cylindricalrotating surface of the switch T is shown produced and bears three rows of contacts 6 e c. When the row of contacts 6 is in contact with terminals 19, the motor is connected with the entire number of cells in series. When the row of contacts e is in contact with terminals 13, the motor is coneach series being one half the entire series.

ment of the motor is reversed. This switch is operated by rotating the shaft f, which is connectedto one of the levers of the switch through a crank and connecting-rod g. The velocity of the motor may not only be regulated by the switch T, but, if desired, by rotating the brushes of the commutator more or less around the shaft of the armature.

The switch T is an adjustable resistance in the circuit to control the speed of the motor, and is placed on the front part of the engine in a convenient position to be operated by the foot of the steersman. This switch consists of a series of contactsj, with resistances between, connected to one terminal of the circuit, and a lever k, pivoted at one end and adapted to have its free end moved over the said series of contacts and connected to the other terminal of the circuit. A footpiece is is fixed to a spindle which extends down through the foot-board to and near the pivoted end of the lever to operate the latter.

'A spring Zis suitably arranged to hold the lever in a position wherein the resistance is cut out of circuit and by the pressure applied with the foot the lever is moved to include more or less resistance in the circuit to reduce the speed of the motor.

I do not limit myself to theswitching apparatus shown and described, as anysuitable and well-known devices may be used instead.

I) is a lamp-circuit or circuit containing suitable electric translating devices for any purpose.

I) are lamps connected in parallel.

b" is an adjustable resistance to regulate the current in the circuit, and h is a current-indicator.

If it is desired to utilize when at a fire a convenient source of electricity to operate the motor A, terminals y y may be provided, to be connected with the terminals of such a source by suitable electric connections y y. The secondary battery or a part thereof may also be charged by the source, and to accomplish this electric connections V may extend, as shown, from the poles of the battery to contacts of a switch X, connected to the terminals y 3 which switch may be connected with the poles of either part of the battery, as desired.

Y is a suitable meter or current-indicator in the circuit between the switch and one of the terminals y.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and a frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame, a driving-shaft for said pump, extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle, having its armatureshaft lower than the drivingshaft of the pump, and gearing between the said shafts.

2. In a fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and a frame,

a rotary pump fixed to the front part of the frame, a driving-shaft for said pump, extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle, having its armature-shaft extending lengthwise of the vehicle and parallel but lower than the drivingshaft of the pump, and gearing between the said shafts.

In a fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and a frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame, a driving-shaft for said pump, extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported uponthe vehicle, having its armatureshaft below the plane of the axis of the rear axle of the vehicle and lower than the driving-shaft of'the pump, and gearing between the said shafts.

at. In a fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and a frame,

a pump fixed to the front part of the frame,

having its driving-shaft extending lengthwise of the Vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle and connected with the pump, and means for connecting said motor with the rear axle orthe wheels thereof to drive the vehicle.

6. In a fire-engine, the combination of awheeled vehicle having aframe, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle, having its armature-shaft disposed eccentrically in relation to the axis of the pump-shaft, suitable gearing between the two shafts, and means for connecting said motor with the rear axle or the wheels thereof to drive the vehicle.

7. In a fireengine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and a frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame, a

driving-shaft for said pump, extending length wise of the vehicle, an electric'motor supported upon the vehicle, having its armatureshaft below the plane of the axis of the rear axle of the vehicle, gearing between. the said shafts, and means for connecting said motor with the rear axle or the wheels thereof to drive the vehicle.

8. The combination, in an electrically-propelled vehicle, of an electric motor mounted thereon, a mechanical connection between said motor and the axle of the vehicle containing a compensating gear'in said connecconnection between the motor-shaft and the axle, and containing a compensating gear mounted upon the central part of said axle to permit of the relative movement of the wheels carried by the said axle.

10. In a fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled Vehicle having a frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame, and an electric motor suspended below the rear axle of the vehicle and connected to the pump.

11. The combination, in an electrically-propelled vehicle, of an electric motor mounted thereon, having its armature-shaft at right angles to the driving-axle, a mechanical connection between the motor-shaft and the axle, containing a compensating gear to permit of the relative movement of the wheels carried by the said axle, a battery on the vehicle above the rear ax1e,and electric connections between the battery and motor.

12. In a fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and a frame,

a pump fixed to the front part of the frame,

lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle, having its armature-shaft lower than the driving-shaft of the pump, gearing between the said shafts, a bat, tery on the vehicle above the rear axle, and electric connections between the battery and motor.

13. In a fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having a frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle, having its armature-shaft disposed eccentrically in relation to the axis ofthe pump-shaft, suitable gearing'between the two shafts, a battery on the vehicle, and electric connections between the battery and motor.

14:. In a fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and a frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame and havingitsdriving-shaft extendinglengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor su pported upon the vehicle and connected to the pump, means for connecting the said motor with an axle of the vehicle to drive the same, a battery on the vehicle, and electric connections between the battery and the motor.

I 15. In a fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having two axles and a frame, a pump fixed to the front part of the frame and having its drivingshaft extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle, with its armature-shaft below the plane of the axis of the rear axle and connected to the pump, means for connecting the said motor with an axle of the vehicle to drive the same, a battery on the vehicle above the said axle, and electric connections between the battery and motor.

16. In a fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle having a frame, a rotary pump fixed upon the front part of the frame and having its driving-shaft extending lengthwise of the vehicle, an electric motor supported upon the vehicle nearer the rear axle, means to connect said motor either with the wheels of the vehicle to propel the same or with the pump, as desired.

17. In a fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle, an electric motor mounted upon the vehicle, having its armature-shaft below the plane ofithe axis of the wheels of the vehicle, and a suitable pump on the vehicle,connected with the said motor to be driven thereby.

18. In a fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle, an electric motor mounted upon the vehicle, having its armature-shaft below the plane of the axis of the wheels of MARK W. DEWEY. [n s] WVitnesses:

O. H. DUELL, H. M. SEAMANs. 

